UPDATE: Caitlyn’s Abuser Will Spend the Next 15 YEARS Behind Bars

By now, you’ve likely heard about Caitlyn, the dog whose muzzle was taped so tightly that she risked losing her tongue and suffering permanent damage to her nasal passage. She’s absolutely thriving now, and her abuser was sentenced to five years in prison for what he did to her, to be served concurrently with a 15-year sentence for other crimes.

The 15-month-old chocolate pit bull mix was found in June 2015 on the porch of a South Carolina resident who called 911 after seeing what horrible shape she was in.

She was taken to the Charleston Animal Society, who got her immediate medical attention. The blood flow had been completely cut off from her tongue, making the situation quite delicate. When the tape was removed, Caitlyn screamed in excruciating pain.

Caitlyn’s former owner, William Dodson said he taped her snout shut because she wouldn’t stop barking. He was charged with felony ill treatment of an animal, and was indicted in February 2016. He will serve 5 years for what he did to Caitlyn, but it will be served concurrently with a 15-year sentence he received for a federal drug and weapon conviction.

Dodson made no apologies for what he did, and Judge R. Markley Dennis Jr. told the abuser that he wished the sentence could be longer.

Meanwhile, Caitlyn is doing wonderfully in her loving new home. She has fans all over the world and is an ambassador for animal welfare.

About Melanie

studied English and has a bachelor's degree in psychology, with a focus on animal behavior, neuropsychology, and psychotherapy. She shares two pit bulls (adopted from the SPCA Serving Erie County) with her family, as well as three adopted cats with her husband, Fred. She takes pride in being a grammar enthusiast and advocating for animals, the environment, equal rights, and humanitarianism. She loves camping, cooking, taking photos, listening to psychedelic rock and indie music, and making all sorts of crafty things - from charm bracelets and paper rose bouquets to kitty condos and feral cat houses!

Melanie was sharing this profile with Fred, who is new to the Life With Dogs family, so many stories that were written by Fred from April 2014 - June 2014 will appear under Melanie's name.

When I see stories like this, it reaffirms that good and evil DO exist There are acts like this that defy civility so horribly-evil exists in our world and that evil manifests itself in wicked people like this scumbag. Eye for an eye, if only proper justice could be served. Thank you God for saving this dog

I agree. These people keep saying GOD please give him cancer or thank you GOD for saving the dog but have people beat him up in prison. He needs to be punished but the people posting don’t understand GOD and certainly aren’t Christians or at the least don’t understand the teachings of Christ.

I truly believe this man should suffer to the extent of this poor pup. But I am also grateful for the fact that this dog probably found an amazing home full of love and warmth after this happened rather than being tortured his entire life by this horrible person. Whatever happened to the man in his life to make this okay completely saddens me. Abuse, neglect and hate are often learned and are so ugly for the world.
Thank God this amazing dog was rescued!!!!

like the guy said earlier, i would like to tape his scrotom as fn tight as i can with super duct tape !!!! fn pc o shit needs more than 5 fn years. if he dont like the dog barking, give to a good home who would give the pooch the love he deserves !!!!

why would you want to even touch his junk? yuck! you’ve heard of karma? what goes around comes around and its coming around to him. i think all people who abuse animals are the scum of the earth and should get the exact punishment they inflicted on the poor animal. betcha there would be less animal abouse out there

Damn lenient judges! His sentence should not have run concurrently with his other sentence!! It should have run consecutively. Meaning the time would be added to his existing sentences and also making it harder and longer to achieve a parole. The way the judge did it the two sentences run together at the same time, virtually eliminating the animal cruelty sentence!! Stupid judge! Sickening person deserved a longer sentence!

slice the bastards tongue, pour alcohol on it every day and BLAST A TAPE RECORDING OF A DOG BARKING DAY AND NIGHT FOR FIVE YEARS NON STOP !!!
haha u piece of shit. signed, his running free being loved enjoying life ex-puppy !

SO he’s not really serving any time for what he did to her if the sentence runs concurrently with the sentence for other charges. Judge should have at least added one month to be served for his torture to this dog.

Here’s a comment I haven’t seen yet! I hope that someone who knows this disgusting waste of our oxygen, waits for his ass to get out of prison, and blows his fucking brains out!!! That’s what should happen to him!! We all know he’s gonna do the same shit when he gets out!!!! He should never be allowed back on the streets and because the law will allow him to eventually, somebody should take one for the team and kill this fucker!!!! Yup, I said it!!! And I’ll say it again!!! If he EVER sees this message, if I lived there you fucker I would do it myself!!! But I live in Miami FL , come find me fucker and you’ll get it!!!!!!!!!!!!! How’s that for karma?

I hope this asshole meets a couple of good friends in jail that love dogs and they decide to torture him tie him up Cut off his blood circulation and his balls and then I would pull everyone of his fingernails out of him son of a bitch hope he dies

Melanie–HOW DARE YOU post this click bait headline for this article??? The man did not get 15 years for hurting the dog. He got 15 years for drug and weapons charges. He only got 5 years for abusing the dog, and you know it. Five years to be served concurrently with the 15 for drug and weapons. So it’s like he’s not doing any time at all for animal abuse. STOP the clickbait crap. Or is that the only thing you post?

UNREAL !!!!!!!HE BASICALLY GOT AWAY WITH THIS HORRIFIC CRIME!!!!WTH IS WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM?? HIS ASS SHOULD SUFFER,SUFFER,&FUCKIN SUFFER INTENSE PAIN!!!!&NEVER EVER GET OUT OF PRISON!!! WHAT A HEARTLESS PIECE OF SHIT HE IS !!! HOPE SOMEONE SLIPS HIM AN “ACCIDENTAL “ABUNDANCE OF DRUGS AT ONE TI.ME!!! PUTS THEM DOWN HIS THROAT AND DUCK TAPES HIS MOUTH SHUT!!!! AFTERALL THAT’S WHY HE’S SERVING TIME!??DRUGS&WEPONS!NOT FOR TOUCHER OF AN INNOCENT DEFENSELESS ANIMAL!!!!MAKES ME SICK!!!OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM IS SHIT!!!!!

Thank the good Lord for the person who called in first and foremost. Now on the pos that did this to her should have had his time to run consecutive. There’s nothing worse than someone who harms children, old people, and animals. They should’ve given him the electric chair. I’m sorry but he should’ve had the book thrown at him. Smh